TEDxWinnipeghttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca Ideas worth spreadingSat, 17 Feb 2018 21:56:45 +0000en-CAhourly1The Speaking Experience at TEDxWinnipeghttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2018/speaking-experience-tedxwinnipeg/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=speaking-experience-tedxwinnipeg Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:03:08 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3435TEDxWinnipeg is now entering its eighth year of consecutive annual TEDx conferences — and that makes us one of the oldest continually-running TEDx experiences around. Originally known as TEDxManitoba, we’ve been learning and growing with each annual gathering we run, and last year we started our monthly TEDxWinnipegSalon series to keep us in an idea-sharing…

]]>TEDxWinnipeg is now entering its eighth year of consecutive annual TEDx conferences — and that makes us one of the oldest continually-running TEDx experiences around. Originally known as TEDxManitoba, we’ve been learning and growing with each annual gathering we run, and last year we started our monthly TEDxWinnipegSalon series to keep us in an idea-sharing frame of mind year-round. One of the areas we’ve really grown in is helping speakers give their best talk possible — even if they’ve never spoken publicly before!

Our speaker team is led by Steering Committee member Kerry Stevenson, who spoke about 3D printing at our first event in 2011. Kerry and his team have developed an extremely helpful process of coaching speakers through the development and presentation of their talks. His team has recruited not only past TEDxWinnipeg speakers, but people with experience coaching, speaking, directing theatre, and building effective screen presentations. Every speaker has a “speaker buddy” who helps them through the entire creative and rehearsal process, and is right there with them on the big day — first to encourage, and later to celebrate the accomplishment.

Our site has more information on speaking at TEDxWinnipeg and what type of talks we’re looking for, but in the lead-up to TEDxWinnipeg 2017, we asked Alyson Shane to tell us what she was going through during the process of preparing to speak — meeting her speaker buddy, writing her talk, rehearsing, editing her talk, and rehearsing some more. She gave us three reflections as she was in the midst of all of it and still not knowing how it would turn out. (Though we knew she’d be great!)

Alyson’s reflections were posted on our blog last year, and remain available as helpful advice for anyone who is wondering what it would be like to speak at TEDxWinnipeg. If you’re wondering whether you could do it, or are resisting the arguments of someone telling you that you should do it, these are for you.

TEDxWinnipeg Speaker Experience Part One — in which Alyson says being selected to speak was “exhilarating and terrifying.” She also talks about selecting her topic, what makes a good talk, working with her speaker buddy, and her first rehearsal. About meeting the other speakers, he wrote “Being in a room of courageous, creative, funny, and compassionate people was inspiring, to say the very least, and being around the other speakers and knowing that they’re feeling the same nervousness that I am helped soothe my fears.”

TEDxWinnipeg Speaker Experience Part Two — in which Alyson talks more about preparing and rehearsing her talk, as well as starting to deal with slides for her presentation. Unlike some talks, Alyson’s needed to cover some very personal parts of her story, so she writes in this reflection, “Being vulnerable, sharing my experiences, and saying ‘this is what happened to me’ is really intimidating.” The tone of this post is a bit different from the first one, as you can hear her confidence building!

TEDxWinnipeg Speaker Experience Part Three — in which Alyson talks about the challenge of finding time to rehearse her talk and about looking at her experiences objectively and about how helpful it was to work with her speaker buddy, Amanda Simpson. At the time of this post, she was just one week away from the big day. On her overall experience so far, she wrote, “I’ve found a wider, extended family with the TEDx speakers and organizers. …I feel like I’m part of a larger family now; a big, unique, weird group of people with stories to share who value each other.” Maybe this is why every year at TEDxWinnipeg, you’ll find past speakers in attendance or volunteering with both large and small jobs, remaining a part of the TEDxWinnipeg family long after the event day. For 2018, we’re thrilled to have Alyson’s help on the communications team.

TEDxWinnipeg 2018 is coming up, and we’ll be accepting applications to speak for another week, so time is short to apply! If you have a potential topic you’ve been thinking about for a talk, please take the leap to apply now! Of more than 100 speakers on our stage, nobody has been sorry they did! If you’ve got questions about the suitability of a talk or about the process, you can get in touch with our speaker team directly.

]]>Andrea Kraj: My Love of All Things TEDhttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2018/andrea-kraj-love-things-ted/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=andrea-kraj-love-things-ted Mon, 22 Jan 2018 13:54:46 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3429Since we’re in the midst of taking applications to speak at TEDxWinnipeg this year, we asked past TEDxWinnipeg speaker Dr. Andrea Kraj to reflect on her experience last year of applying, preparing, and giving her talk, Smart Cities Begin With You. We hope her experience will be helpful to encourage anyone who’s on the fence about…

]]>Since we’re in the midst of taking applications to speak at TEDxWinnipeg this year, we asked past TEDxWinnipeg speaker Dr. Andrea Kraj to reflect on her experience last year of applying, preparing, and giving her talk, Smart Cities Begin With You. We hope her experience will be helpful to encourage anyone who’s on the fence about whether or not to apply to speak – there are only a couple weeks left to apply for 2018.

I love TED talks; in fact, I have loved them for years. Discovering TED was like discovering a completely new world that existed within my reality. TED Talks would be my escape when the world I knew became too dull or rehearsed. TED Talks would become my inspiration when deep in the midst of a developing my work, I’d get stuck and need some room to breathe, to think, to let my mind rest and reset with ideas that were not on my ordinary path.

I had spent years working on my research in intelligent energy systems, often glimpsing into the world of TED, inspired by so many different speakers and topics. Once I discovered that TEDx was happening in Winnipeg, I was so busy in my work that I missed the deadline to apply to be in the audience, greatly wanting to participate in this interesting platform of ideas and exchange. Nevertheless, I missed it. I was determined that the following year I would be in the audience, but as life would have it, I was not even in town at the time and I missed my second opportunity.

So, deep in the winter of 2017, overcoming a fierce cold, my curiosity urged me to check out the TEDx application requirements. I sat there thinking, could my idea really be of interest? I knew my work in remote communities and autonomous power was critical to resolving global energy poverty and improving sustainability, but did it matter here? Did people know how the internet of things was poised to change their lives? Were people aware of the smart grid, and how they could be a part of it? So I wrote my application up, debated what I should title it, and eventually hit send, full of questions and curiosity on my end – what I would learn by risking my comfort and putting my idea out there? I didn’t spend too much time wondering what it would be like to actually give the talk at that point. I just thought to myself, “You did it. You applied.” That was a huge first step! I let the rest be. After all, there are so many applications, what were the chances…

Weeks later, I received the news that my idea was actually accepted! I was pleasantly surprised – and then the reality started to sink in. I was actually going to have to stand up and present this. Would it be like all the academic presentations, lectures, and conference stages that I had done before? It couldn’t be – there was an art to this TED-Talk thing, and there was going to be a learning curve – but what was the “thing” that made you a TED Speaker?

The months that followed were a collection of meetings with interesting people and their stories, people who at first were strangers, then became friends and by that magical day in June, became family. The best part of the TED experience for me was the discovery of other people’s stories, and how by getting to know them, their stories became a part of my life too – and that we were no longer strangers, we were survivors. We shared in not only the TED experience, but in the time and space that we co-occupied; the uncertainty and humility of leaving it all there on that stage. We were connected. The TED experience can force you into your most vulnerable and uncomfortable places and require you to commit to acknowledging it, and deciding to grow through it. The learning environment is kind and compassionate, fun and expansive. You are surrounded by volunteers who give of themselves to help you give more of yourself than you knew was possible – all based on the premise of sharing an idea worth spreading, so that perhaps more people than you (on that couch alone and terrified to hit send), will know your story, and together, build a better world.

]]>Heather Hinam on Speaking at TEDxWinnipeghttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2018/heather-hinam-speaking-tedxwinnipeg/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=heather-hinam-speaking-tedxwinnipeg Wed, 17 Jan 2018 14:55:37 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3424Since we’re in the midst of taking applications to speak at TEDxWinnipeg this year, we asked past TEDxWinnipeg speaker Heather Hinam to reflect on her experience of preparing and giving her talk, Discovering the Amazing in the Everyday. We hope her experience will be helpful to encourage anyone who’s on the fence about whether or not…

]]>Since we’re in the midst of taking applications to speak at TEDxWinnipeg this year, we asked past TEDxWinnipeg speaker Heather Hinam to reflect on her experience of preparing and giving her talk, Discovering the Amazing in the Everyday. We hope her experience will be helpful to encourage anyone who’s on the fence about whether or not to apply to speak.

“You could totally do this,” my friend enthused on the Facebook post she’d tagged me in. As I stared at the speaker’s application for TEDxWinnipeg, all I could think was, ‘she’s nuts’. I’d been lucky enough to have been in the audience for this amazing event two years in a row, and I remembered how together and professional all the speakers had seemed. I wasn’t a stranger to public speaking — I had spent years as a nature interpreter and teaching university students. I just couldn’t imagine myself on that stage, with the red TEDx backdrop, in front of people who wanted to hear my very own idea.

Then, gradually, I did start imagining it. You see, I actually did have an idea that I thought was worth spreading. I wanted to reconnect people with our natural world.

I spent a few nights scribbling out notes, trying to distill my thoughts down into one, actionable idea. That done, I filled out the form, held my breath… and hit ‘send.’

The day I found out I’d been chosen to speak felt like winning the lottery. I was excited, but also extremely nervous. It wasn’t even the idea of the getting up on that stage that scared me. My past life as a musician had made me used to performing for an audience, and I knew regular rehearsals were part of the deal. It was that notion of standing in a small room in front of just a handful of people I barely knew with nothing but my idea and my words. I hadn’t felt that vulnerable in years.

As it turns out, despite my initial fear of rehearsals, they ended up being some of the moments I remember most fondly from my TEDx experience. Working with my coach, with the Speakers Committee members, and with all of my fellow speakers was not only very valuable for my personal development, but also a lot of fun!

TEDxWinnipeg runs like a well-oiled machine, thanks to a small army of dedicated and very talented volunteers. Everyone is truly committed to helping you deliver the best talk of your life, and they work hard to help you get there. It’s not just man-hours they put into the event, but the emotional investment they put into their speakers in a collaborative and supportive environment. The more you invest of your energy and support your fellow speakers and volunteers, the more rewarding your experience will be.

By the time it was my turn to hook up the microphone and walk out onto the stage, I knew I had a small, ragtag family cheering me on and ready to catch me when I came down off the high. Those connections, those people who check in on social media, who meet up for coffee, or join me for walks in the woods are what I cherish the most from my TEDxWinnipeg experience. They are the reason you will always find me ready to help out when the next one comes around each year.

]]>100 Speakers and Countinghttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2018/100-speakers-counting/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=100-speakers-counting Mon, 08 Jan 2018 14:40:05 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3373Since 2011, TEDxWinnipeg has presented 100 speakers and talks onstage at our annual event. With applications now open for TEDxWinnipeg 2018, who’s going to be next? At TEDxWinnipeg, we are exceptionally proud of its past speakers, and love to see what they do after their talks are done. People like Wilma Derksen (2012), Madison Thomas (2016), Aisha Alfa (2012), Johanna Hurme (2017), Todd…

]]>Since 2011, TEDxWinnipeg has presented 100 speakers and talks onstage at our annual event. With applications now open for TEDxWinnipeg 2018, who’s going to be next?

At TEDxWinnipeg, we are exceptionally proud of its past speakers, and love to see what they do after their talks are done. People like Wilma Derksen (2012), Madison Thomas (2016), Aisha Alfa (2012), Johanna Hurme (2017), Todd Scott (2015), and “The Bannock Lady,” Althea Guiboche (2012). In addition to being livestreamed, TEDxWinnipeg talks are recorded and receive a wider viewing online in the months or years that follow. Some of those are featured by TED or TEDx, and some become very influential, being added to playlists and receiving extremely large numbers of views online. Sandi Reimer (2014) and Cheryl Ferguson (2016) have achieved in the range of 55,000 views each, and Sherry Benson-Podolchuk (2015) has had her talk viewed online more than 153,000 times.

]]>On the Wealth of Shared Ideashttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2018/wealth-shared-ideas/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=wealth-shared-ideas Sat, 06 Jan 2018 22:55:18 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3366We have been educated for a time that no longer exists — in the old way of thinking, value is determined by shortage—I have it and you don’t. “When we think this way, we bifurcate. We get stuck at the ends of the rope: Either I’m right or you are. Select one answer or the…

]]>We have been educated for a time that no longer exists — in the old way of thinking, value is determined by shortage—I have it and you don’t. “When we think this way, we bifurcate. We get stuck at the ends of the rope: Either I’m right or you are. Select one answer or the other.” In the new way of thinking, we measure differently.

Wealth is created and carried by ideas and relationships more than by transactions. When things carry value, if I have one and give it away, I lose something. But when ideas carry value, everything is turned upside-down. When you have a good idea and I have a good idea and we exchange them, you walk away with two new ideas and I also have two new ideas. The more we share, the more we have. Our capacity to generate, share, and enact ideas becomes most valuable.

]]>What was TEDxWinnipeg 2017 Made of?https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2017/tedxwinnipeg-2017-made/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=tedxwinnipeg-2017-made Tue, 27 Jun 2017 15:00:42 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3168TEDxWinnipeg celebrated its seventh annual event this year with a big growth spurt and a new venue. We had some big ideas for the event, but applying some caution, we decided to pace ourselves and have more great new things for next year. Reviews are still coming in (If you were a guest, remember to…

]]>TEDxWinnipeg celebrated its seventh annual event this year with a big growth spurt and a new venue. We had some big ideas for the event, but applying some caution, we decided to pace ourselves and have more great new things for next year. Reviews are still coming in (If you were a guest, remember to fill our your survey form!), but by and large, it seems we had a great day. We’re still completing our internal reviews of this year’s event, but found a few stats we wanted to share.

We also work in services like DND, including Department of National Defence – 1 Canadian Air Division, Royal Canadian Air Force, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, WRHA Surgery Program, WRHA Health Sciences Centre, St Boniface Hospital, Children’s Hospital.

Speaking of education, we also had representation from school divisions — Hanover, Lord Selkirk, Louis Riel, Park West, Pembina Trails, Red River Valley, River East Transcona, St. James-Assiniboia, Seven Oaks, Sunrise, Western, and Winnipeg. We had guests from M.B.C.I., Pinkham School, Windsor Park Collegiate, Robertson College, Red River College, Université de Saint-Boniface, University of Manitoba, Max Rady College of Medicine, Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba, University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba Faculty of Architecture, and University of Winnipeg.

We have a number of recurring subjects that we care about as well. If you put it all into a word cloud, you’d get the image at the top of this post. (If you want to see it in desktop-wallpaper size, click the thumbnail above.)

We’re a pretty diverse group! We come from all over, engage in a huge array of activities, and care about a lot of big ideas and causes. This also means we’re influential in a lot of different arenas, so we’re equipped for sharing spreadable ideas — perfect for a TEDx crowd!

What happened June 6th?

Well, of course that was TEDxWinnipeg 2017. Our tweets were seen 50,000 times (plus almost another 20,000 the next day). We picked up a lot of new Twitter followers over the past few months, so there’s over 5,000 of you now! The livestream has been viewed over 2,500 times so far, and the ideas are already spreading well beyond the more than 500 people who joined us onsite. We’ve now got our event photos up on Flickr, but there’s also a sweet mix of all your photos on Instagram as well to help remember and relive the day. In the meantime, you may be interested to learn what our three most popular tweets were from the day:

]]>TEDxWinnipeg 2017 – Reviewshttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2017/tedxwinnipeg-2017-reviews/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=tedxwinnipeg-2017-reviews Fri, 09 Jun 2017 15:00:56 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3146This review was written by Hilary Friesen, a first-time TEDxWinnipeg volunteer. Tuesday was my first TEDx Winnipeg experience. And I have Brent Toderash, who asked me to volunteer on the marketing committee, to thank for it. TEDxWinnipeg 2017 was a packed day of interesting and inspiring speakers, meeting new people and live-tweeting the whole experience.…

]]>This review was written by Hilary Friesen, a first-time TEDxWinnipeg volunteer.

Tuesday was my first TEDx Winnipeg experience. And I have Brent Toderash, who asked me to volunteer on the marketing committee, to thank for it.

TEDxWinnipeg 2017 was a packed day of interesting and inspiring speakers, meeting new people and live-tweeting the whole experience. As I look back, what stands out to me are the common threads and interconnections between the speakers – a testament, I’m sure, to the care and dedication the organizers put into selecting the program.

Our Common Humanity/Our Human Community

Dene Sinclair led off the day talking about travel. One of her most memorable travel experiences was sharing traditional stories with a Bedouin guide in Jordan. Dene’s messages was that “who we are connects us,” and she encouraged us to travel as guests in others’ lands, rather than explorers trying to discover the next “new” thing.

That thread of connecting ran through Sonya Ballantyne’s talk about creating indigenous superheroes, based on her love of the classic superheroes Batman and Superman, and weaving those influences with her own experiences. Jon Waldman talked about the necessity for men to open up and connect over the shared experience of dealing with infertility. And Joel Carter shared how storytelling at the end of life can ease a patient’s pain.

In the afternoon, Ali Saeed told his remarkable story of surviving 7 years and 4 months of torture in 11 different jails in 2 countries, and how he now seeks a “green revenge” with an open heart, unfolded hand and open door to help those who are refugees as he once was. Alyson Shane talked about her experience of online communities as supportive and caring – not the trolling and cyber-bullying we hear about on the news – at a time in her life when she had no support at home.

Better Living by Design

Johanna Hurme, in one of her signature pairs of show-stopping high heels, was the first to speak about how design can make our lives better. Thoughtful architecture and city planning, she argued, can re-use existing spaces, build structures to stand the test of time and changing use, and create efficient, sustainable, walkable cities.

Ryan Mayberry picked up the theme of design and technology, sharing his vision for a new technology of art history that identifies each unique piece of art, records its provenance from its creation to its most recent sale, and collects stories about its use and influence along the way.

Tatjana Brkic shared her research into social innovation in business, telling us about the many businesses around the world and in our own backyard that are addressing social challenges, making the world a better place and turning a profit at the same time.

Finally, Andrea Kraj spoke about her work developing resilient, responsive, smart energy grids that use a mix of renewable resources, bio-fuel and fossil fuel to reduce dependence on diesel, provide more reliable electricity and make energy cheaper for customers, especially in remote communities.

Know No Limits

Mike Lund was the second speaker of the day, and challenged a common limitation many of us feel – time. Mike has developed a nifty little calculator to find out how much time you really spend at work – whether that’s hours in a year or your whole life. The answer – not nearly as much as you think. So, Mike asked – what will you do with all that time?

Rana Bokhari spoke about her experiences being the first female, Muslim, and youngest leader of the Manitoba Liberals. Her message – don’t let others limit your dreams.

Mike Johnston spoke about his love of two subjects many might think incompatible – science and poetry. He encouraged us to embrace every part of ourselves – not to compare ourselves negatively to others or to abandon an interest because we’re not “good” at it. Instead, use every piece of ourselves to achieve our goals.

Steve Langston closed off the program with a talk on “goal smashing.” He shared his experience and strategies to achieve big goals – weight loss, starting a film company and taking up environmental causes – by breaking them down into smaller, achievable goals, and measuring success in achieving those more manageable milestones.

There was a buzz in the air from the moment registration opened at 7:45 until the last guest left on Tuesday. If you missed the event, you’ll be able to catch the talks that interest you as they’re released in videos over the next few weeks. And watch this space for information on TEDxWinnipeg 2018!

]]>Think Forward – A TEDx Found Poemhttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2017/think-forward-tedx-found-poem/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=think-forward-tedx-found-poem Thu, 08 Jun 2017 15:00:51 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3141On Tuesday, at TEDxWinnipeg 2017, emcee Caity Curtis used quotes from the day’s TEDx Talks and guests’ post-its and notes at the game stations to craft a found poem that she read to the audience. Here is the poem. Think Forward I imagine what we can do to prevent bike theft, I imagine daycares in nursing…

]]>On Tuesday, at TEDxWinnipeg 2017, emcee Caity Curtis used quotes from the day’s TEDx Talks and guests’ post-its and notes at the game stations to craft a found poem that she read to the audience. Here is the poem.

Think Forward

I imagine what we can do to prevent bike theft, I imagine daycares in nursing homes, I imagine being accepted for who I am. Knowledge leads to change Inspiration leads to growth When out of the box authenticity lays the groundwork for sharing ideas or in my language – love. We talk about changing the world but what about letting the world change us. See the energy that emanates from a blank slate Push limits if you see them but wouldn’t it be better not to notice limitations at all? Let the growing pain of your brain hurt. Use all of the time you aren’t at work or asleep to find your bliss – I hear meditation is fun. I imagine nap pods, I imagine thoughtful disruption, One day I will run my own business. Join the selfie station generation whose motivation to strive for openness knows that perspective matters. Spark a human connection, idea reflection, beachball questions. Ideas ideas ideas ideas ideas ideas then crossing the sacred space into action Today I learned to speak up more than I already do Today I learned that not everyone has the ability to safely speak their mind. Buried in the block chain of intersectionality, Deep dive into your own green revenge and find butterfly strength. I’ll tell you something about stories… Today I learned that I can do anything.

]]>Get Ready! Your Day-of Details for TEDxWinnipeg 2017https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2017/your-day-details-for-tedxwinnipeg-2017/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=your-day-details-for-tedxwinnipeg-2017 Sun, 04 Jun 2017 19:15:44 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3117TEDxWinnipeg 2017 is on Tuesday! Here’s everything you need to know to get the most out of your TEDxWinnipeg experience: Where to Go RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg 375 York Avenue Main Floor, North Building Parking There are two parking lots at the Convention Centre, one under the North building and one under the South building, both…

Schedule

Clothing

We’re casual – wear whatever makes you happy and puts you in an idea-sharing mood, whether that’s your favourite pair of jeans or a designer suit.

Tech

A Telus charging station will be available to charge your phones – no cords needed! The stations are fully equipped!

Food

We’ve got lunch covered for you, as well as coffee and refreshments during mid-morning and afternoon breaks. If you have any dietary restrictions, you may want to bring your own snacks, just in case. There is also Centre Place Café on the second floor of the Convention Centre if you prefer to buy your own lunch.

]]>How to Host a Viewing Party for TEDx Winnipeghttps://tedxwinnipeg.ca/2017/how-host-viewing-party-for-tedx-winnipeg/?pk_campaign=feed&pk_kwd=how-host-viewing-party-for-tedx-winnipeg Thu, 01 Jun 2017 15:00:41 +0000https://tedxwinnipeg.ca/?p=3089Can’t attend TEDx Winnipeg? Host a TEDx Winnipeg viewing party in your classroom, boardroom or living room! The basics are easy. All you need is: A room with a good internet connection A screen where you can show the TEDx Winnipeg Livestream Seating Some forward-thinking friends or colleagues to share the experience! Download the program…

Of course, you don’t have to stop there. Here are some ideas to take your viewing party to the next level.

Potluck. New ideas will work up an appetite! Ask your guests to bring dishes for lunch and snacks to share with the group. Bonus points if they are inspired by the theme of “Forward Think” or one of the speakers.

Name tags. TEDx name tags are an important part of the event to break the ice and get people talking. Include a section on the tag called “Talk to me about…” and ask guests to share three things they love to discuss – whether it’s slam poetry, sci-fi or social media.

Second screen. If you have another screen available, cue up the TEDx Twitter feed or the feed for one of our hashtags – #TEDxWinnipeg and #TEDxwpg2017. Post a photo of your group with the hashtag and join the conversation!

Your ideas worth spreading. Plan time for your guests to share their own ideas worth spreading and talk about what they’ve heard. You could even assign a topic for an improv, on-the-spot talk!

Ideas worth swapping. Ask each guest to bring a book, documentary or piece of music to the event that represents an idea they want to share with others, and plan a swap.

Sketch your ideas. Give your guests notepads and encourage them to make sketch notes of the speaker’s ideas. Or use a whiteboard or a large pad of paper and an easel to have each guest take turns sketching different talks, or several guests sketching at once! Give prizes for the most expressive sketch note, the fastest sketcher, the best group effort, etc.